Going for "Hick of The Week" award

Okay, I’m letting my guard down I know, but I gotta ask. I have bunches of smaller burled and figured maple pieces that are beautiful, but they are going to need to sit for a while. I’m worried about bugs and the spalting turning to out and out rot. So, can I use an oven bag, like the ones I use to cook up turkeys, and put some in the oven at 130 degrees for a few hours? Okay, now quit laughing, my wife laughed at me too but I’m serious. The way I see it, it should work very well. My intent would be to kill the bugs and fungi by heat, but I don’t want to overdry the wood hence the steaming effect. Dry yer eyes, regain yer composure, and whaddya say?

There are “microwave methods”, “boiling methods” and I’m sure others. Just google (“Drying wood” microwave) or (“Drying wood” boiling). Both of these methods should kill them. And Jim, the boiling should drownd out all that screaming.

I’ve heard microwaving works…but I’ve also heard it’s not spouse-friendly. I expect the kind of reaction my Dad got for tuning up the snowblower on the kitchen table one winter. In his defense, he did put newspaper down.

I like the turkey bag idea…never thought of that.

My stove vent hood is loud enough to drown out the noise…well, for the bugs at least…I made no guarantees on the spousal side of things.

Hey now, Troutguy, I like your thinkin’. I could double its useage as a still… er, uh, a storage unit! But such a thing would deserve to be in my front yard, right by the dog run and the ‘28 Ford I’m a-fixin’on. Snort.
I’m not wanting to dry the wood in my oven, just get it hot enough to kill the bugs and current spalting; I want it to dry in open air, probably in my house over the summer, so I want to use the “steam” to help heat the wood; hence the sealed oven bag. I think it’ll work, my wife wants me to ask around so here I am. The wood is highly colored and soaking wet, worth some work and experimentation.
I guess i should show some remorse for offing the lil critters, tho. Too bad I can’t feed ‘em to my chickens.

Do a bit of googling about on “kiln drying”. Last time I looked at this we ended up using the toaster oven on low to kill the bugs in and dry out some Madrone, but there are some USDA and department of forestry documents out there that talk about the issues involved in drying without cracking, and heating enough to kill borers, that should be easy to find.